Truss plates are generally employed to join planks of lumber that form floor and roof trusses used in residential housing. Truss plates typically comprise a backing plate and an array of sharp spike-like impaling members that extend outwardly from the backing plate. Adjacent planks of a truss with coplanar surfaces can be permanently joined by pounding or pressing the backing member of a truss plate so that its impaling members penetrate the planks.
Truss plates have traditionally been packaged in boxes or cartons in no particular order whatsoever; they are simply strewn haphazardly within their container. If the container is emptied or if it is somehow removed or destroyed, the truss plates spill and spread and can be quite hazardous until they are retrieved and restored. As a result, truss plates generally have been stored on-site in their packaging cartons until use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,908 to Black describes a truss plate packaging method and configuration in which truss plates are packaged in unitized bundles. The truss plates are arranged so that their respective backing members are substantially parallel, with the peripheries of the backing members being substantially aligned. The truss plates are then interconnected with some interconnecting means, such as a strap that snugly wraps around the truss plates, to form a unitized bundle. Such a bundle can be conveniently shipped, stored, and handled in the manufacture of trusses.
A problem faced by truss construction firms involves the identification of truss plates. Generally, truss plates are stamped from sheet steel; commonly, the steel is 20 gauge (about 0.036 inches), 18 gauge (about 0.048 inches), or 16 gauge (about 0.060 inches) in thickness. In addition, truss plates can be formed from many different steel types; commonly, truss plates are formed of either 33 ksi (kilopounds per square inch) yield strength steel, as specified by ASTM standard A446, or from so-called "high yield" steel, which has a higher yield strength of about 60 ksi. Proper identification of truss plate thickness and material type can be critical for the construction of some trusses, such as floor trusses, as some construction codes or engineering specifications may require that certain joints be connected with truss plates of a specified minimum thickness or material composition. However, the differences in thickness or material composition between truss plates can be difficult to discern visually, particularly for unskilled or inexperienced operators. Some operators can experience extreme difficulty in distinguishing truss plate thickness or material compositions at a distance, particularly if the truss plates are packaged in truss plate bundles as described above. Some truss plate manufacturers imprint the thickness of the truss plate on the backing member to assist with identification. Nonetheless, there exists no effective method for operators to discern truss plate thickness or material type at a distance.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a packaging method and an associated package that enables an operator to instantly recognize the thickness and material composition of the truss plate contained within the package.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing such a package.